Field of the Disclosure
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods for forming fire resistant articles and articles made by such methods, and, more particularly, to a method for forming a fire resistant article, such as an oriented strand board, and associated article made by such method.
Description of Related Art
It may sometimes be desirable for particular articles or products to exhibit resistance to heat and/or fire. In this regard, one significant impediment to implementing cellulose products on a widespread basis is the risk of fire. That is, though cellulose products may be implemented in many different applications, those applications may be precluded by the apparent lack of fire resistance provided by such cellulose products. In some instances, a paperboard product may have a fire-retardant product applied thereto, post-formation, to provide some fire resistance capabilities for the paperboard product. That is, an exemplary as-formed paperboard product may have a surface treatment, for example, a liquid fire retardant, applied thereto (i.e., sprayed on) in order for the treated product to exhibit at least some fire resistance. In such cases, however, one possible limitation in the treatment of the as-formed paperboard product for fire resistance, particularly with a liquid fire retardant, is achieving an even and consistent treatment of that product. More particularly, the result of some fire resistance treatment processes involving application of a liquid fire-retardant to an as-formed paperboard product may be an uneven or otherwise inconsistent coverage of the fire retardant with respect to the product. In those instances, the uneven treatment may result in varying levels of fire resistance of the treated paperboard product which may, in turn, become a hazard in the event of a fire, which the product is intended to retard or otherwise provide some resistance against. Further, such treatment processes may not necessarily be efficient in terms of applying the fire retardant to the paperboard product.
In addition, even with as-formed cellulose products treated with a liquid fire retardant, the treated product may not necessarily be heat resistant. That is, even if the as-formed cellulose product, treated with a liquid fire retardant, were to be locally fire resistant, the associated heat may break down the cellulose and allow the fire to penetrate the product.
In some instances, it may also be desirable for certain board products to define and include a substantially smooth and uniform major surface, for example, for receiving a surface veneer treatment or other aesthetic surface treatment, particularly where such a surface treatment is relatively thin (i.e., paper or stock, wallpaper, paint, etc.). In such instances, if that major surface is not substantially smooth and uniform, any imperfections in the surface of the board product will likely (and undesirably) print through the thin veneer or other thin aesthetic treatment applied to that surface. That is, any protrusions, depressions, or even wood grain texture, for example, evident on the treatment-receiving surface of the board product will likely and undesirably show, print, or telegraph through any thin veneer or thin surface treatment applied to that cellulose board product. In addition, there may exist the risk of non-uniform or otherwise poor adhesion of the veneer to the treatment-receiving surface. While the lack of a substantially smooth and uniform surface may be compensated for, for example, by smoothing the surface, selecting a more viscous adhesive, or increasing the thickness/rigidity of the veneer, such measures may be more costly, the process may be more difficult, and the risk will still exist for printing of non-uniformities and non-uniform adhesion of the veneer to the surface. One such example of a cellulose board product historically lacking such a smooth and uniform major surface is, for example, oriented strand board (OSB), while examples of cellulose board products generally having such a smooth and uniform surface includes, for example, medium density fiber (MDF) board or particle board. For such reasons, MDF and particle board may be preferred, for example, in the furniture industry, particularly in instances where a thin veneer is applied to the cellulose board product. However, MDF and particle board tend to be more expensive in terms of cost, compared to other cellulose board products such as OSB.
Thus, there exists a need for a process for evenly and consistently applying a fire retardant, particularly a liquid fire retardant, to a cellulose product such as, for example, a paperboard product and/or a cellulose board product. In some instances, it may also be desirable to form a cellulose product (i.e., OSB) having a substantially smooth and uniform major surface to facilitate veneer or other surface treatment application, while also providing an enhanced level of heat/fire resistance, and a lower cost compared to other cellulose products having a substantially smooth and uniform surface (i.e., MDF or particle board).